Blagojevich pushes construction, college tax credit

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-060118stateofstate,1,4875134.story?coll=chi-news-hed

STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS

Blagojevich pushes construction, college tax credit

By Rick Pearson and Ray Long
Tribune staff reporters
Published January 18, 2006, 1:44 PM CST


SPRINGFIELD -- Contending he has turned the face of a "bloated, ineffective" state government into one that helps families "build better lives," Gov. Rod Blagojevich delivered a State of the State speech today that laid out his re-election strategy of challenging Republican policies in Washington.

Addressing members of the Illinois House and Senate, the Democratic governor touted new initiatives including a plea for supporting a $3.2 billion public works construction plan, a $1,000 college tuition tax credit for parents and expanded health care for veterans, despite a still-bleak state financial situation.

Reciting his role in expanded health care for children and women, prescription drugs for seniors and additional state funding for education, Blagojevich maintained that from the "mess" he inherited when he took office three years ago, "we have turned things around (and) dramatically changed priorities" without raising taxes.

"Illinois is now a state where more people have health care, where we have more money and higher standards for our schools, where crime is down and jobs are up," Blagojevich said in a 40-minute address punctuated by applause.
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Blago was in some very serious hot water with a few of the unions. He just bought a bit of his old support back with those promises (IF they think he's telling the truth...)

Don't get me wrong--Blago is still better, IMO, than any of the GOPiglets we've had before. It sure has taken him a long while to wake up to how pissed off people were.

He inherited a big old mess--no doubt about that. He's managed to keep the entire mess afloat--and I was wondering if anyone could do that and not raise income taxes--so I have got to give him credit where it is due.

I hope he lives up to the promises. I really do.



Laura

I was SO happy the day he became guv. The pugs left a hell of a lot of mess behind them

BUT...he persuaded the Ledg to steal out of the cookie jar--state worker pensions--in order to pay for pork in Chicago. Those of us who work at universities downstate will remember him at the polls.

The tuition tax credit doesn't nearly make up for the steep increase in tuition resulting from cuts he made to higher education funding. College Students will still be paying far more due to Blago's policies.

Democrats every day point to Bushco's ruination of the Country and the economy yet want to blame Blag at the State level. The GOPers decry him and the Dems for how they run the State yet support a Party that is far worse at the National level and has created many of the conditions responsible for our plight. They get no blame for having spent the money under Ryan that created these shortfalls. While I understand the State workers consternation over the pension situation and I sympathize with them, I wonder how they think they are immune to what workers in the private sector are going through. At least they have a better chance of their pensions being there than workers who have lost their's through bankruptcies and buyouts from cash seeking investors. Do State workers realize that after a few more GOP reigns there jobs will be privatized, outsourced, or awarded to cronies anyway. If Blag had raised taxes he would be gone for sure. Any GOPer is not likely to raise taxes either, they are more likely to make deeper cuts like Edgar did or turn more to private contractors who will pay less and offer fewer benefits.

However, we also have to remember that many of us work for lower wages in exchange for a decent pension. Our raises are subject to the legislature. Thus, there are times there is no raise for us. Our stakeholders have been led to believe by the GOP, but worse, by Blago, that we are fat and happy. There may be those who are in the system. Where I work, most of us aren't in the figurative sense. I work more than 40 hours a week; in fact, I fall in the average range of about 51 hours a week because of the demands of students and citizens. Each time there is a cut, more people get hurt, and we have to work harder and longer to help our citizens, but we know that's part of the job. We just don't want our pensions raided.

Those in the private sector still had higher wages. Unfortunately, those who aren't in the upper echolon of management of those places got hurt. The CEO, COO, and CFO's have a parachutes, whereas other workers do not. Granted, that is the risk factor, but that's part of private enterprise. I've worked there, and didn't like it. So, those of us in the public sector, we don't ask for big salaries, but in return we want decent benefits and our pensions. Right now, I have colleagues who did retire early, and they were wise to do so. When I retire, I worry that since we haven't a back up system for our pensions--remember we do not contribute to SS because we were promised to have our pensions--that many of us when we retire in 20 years, our pensions will have eroded. That is why Blago is a threat to our pocketbooks, and anytime I am threatened in my pocketbook, I will look for other leadership.

In my job I am working under the direction of state employees and I'm quite familiar with their complaints and the demands of their jobs. I'm also involved in a County Party that involves a large percentage of State workers and retirees. Again one point is, the pensions have not been taken away but agreeably are at an undesirable risk. The overall point is that the entire National economy is at this same risk level due to the GOP and in the long run, we are all in the same boat. I witnessed Tom Cross(R-Oswego) state that Blag's borrow and spend was totally wrong but then turned to his mentor Hastert for a quote about the National debate. They are hypocrites and no matter how upset people are with Blag, the GOP will screw them harder and leave them in a worse state than Blag ever will. The best solution in my mind now would be to feed his ego and push him to drop out as gov and run for National office and then not support him once he's out the door.

I voted for Blago once. Not again.

I am not willing to just hand the GOP another opportunity to screw this state up.

Say what you want about Blag, but he's at least not a GOPer--thus I'll be voting for him. He's our pig, by gawd and it is a damn sight better than what you'll get with the other side.



Laura

I am not a party loyalist. I vote for the candidate, not for the party. That is also why I consider myself a moderate and not a liberal or conservative.

I am putting aside my personal differences with Blago and voting against the gop. I will also think of the good things that he has done for the state.